Gaming

On the hunt for a new gaming laptop? With so many to choose from it can be quite tricky to find one that’s well suited for your needs, especially if you’re on a budget- gaming laptops tend to be the most pricey since they require more power, better graphics and audio quality. But we’re here to help! We’ve taken a look through numerous models from a variety of brands and narrowed it down to the cheapest gaming laptops to buy in the UK- so let’s jump straight in!

The metallic chic exterior is elegant and eye catching- striking, thin, light and minimalist. If you’re on the hunt for a gaming device that can double up as a lecture or office companion, this is an ideal choice due to the stylish and sophisticated look and feel. Gaming marathon enthusiast? Prevent retinal damage and degeneration with this laptop with Asus Splendid Eye Care mode that reduces blue light- the prime cause of such issues. Manipulate the settings to assist the task at hand, when reading, working or playing in the dark, alter the necessary features to prevent fatigue and headaches. Asus Splendid Technology enhances your gaming experience by delivering vivid and life-like graphics, stunning visuals and deep, rich hues.

With an immense RAM of 12GB, this laptop won’t buckle under the pressure of power-consuming gaming and hours of Call of Duty or Zelda. Your gaming experience will be like no other, Dolby Surround sound ensures sharp and precise sound from multiple angles thus delivering a surround sound and immersive audio experience whilst gaming. This is accompanied by AMD Radeon R7 M360 2GB graphics- your senses will be tingling and flooded and engulfed by the intricate detail and experience this Lenovo IdeaPad provides! Alongside this, students will be ecstatic to hear we offer a 5% discount with Student Beans on this selected laptop; thus definitely earning itself a spot in our cheapest gaming laptops to buy in the UK.

Equipped with Nahimic virtual surround sound, initially designed for flight stimulation in training military pilots, you’re in for an immersive audio experience; prepare to feel like you’re inside your favourite game! If that wasn’t enough, MSI Audio Boost enhances sound output by 30%. With NVIDIA GeForce 940MX every shade and detail is vivid and life-like. With up to 30% faster performance in comparison to its predecessor, the Intel core i5 processor and 8GB RAM deliver smooth-sailing use and the ability to handle the most demanding of software and games.

Bang & Olufsen ensures sound quality is delivered to perfection, feel like you’re really in the midst of battle when playing Call of Duty! The huge 17.3” display is like no other gaming laptop out there- it’s huge! The combination of the wide screen display, 1920 x 1080 resolution and NVIDIA graphics produce a premium gaming experience. The 12GB RAM ensures smooth navigation, multitasking and most importantly, the capability to handle power- draining software and gaming.

Packed with tonnes of ports; 2 USB 3.0 ports, HDMI port, USB 3.1 type-c socket, USB 2.0 port, audio port, SSD slot, memory slot and a DVD drive- you can easily stay connected to all your desired devices. If you’re a fan of gaming marathons or need to game on the go, this laptop has a lengthy battery life – keep the battle going! This laptop has definitely earned its place in our cheapest gaming laptops to buy in the UK list.

So there you have it, our list of the cheapest gaming laptops to buy in the UK! We hoped we’ve helped end your search for the perfect gaming laptop. Still unsure? Check out our range of gaming laptops, you’ll be sure to find something you like.

For more helpful top picks, reviews and tech related news- visit our blog.

Nintendo’s the leading brand in the gaming console industry, they basically started it! They produced the first home and portable gaming system and are still bringing out innovative designs to date. Asides from this, their next biggest success was their legendary Super Mario video game franchise. From arcade games and the NES to the GameBoy and Wii, Mario has made over 100 appearances from 1981 to 2017; throughout games such as Donkey Kong, Nintendo Land and Tetris, as well as his own. With the exciting new release of the Nintendo Switch (find out more here), selling more than 2.7 million devices in the first month, Nintendo keep winning. The anticipation and excitement surrounding the new Super Mario game seems to ensure more innevitable success!

Story Line

As per usual the protagonist- Bowser, nemesis, the arch-enemy since day 1 (1983), kidnaps the beloved Princess Peach and Mario must go globe-trotting on various quests through newly designed kingdoms, defeating lots of bad guys! Save Princess Peach before the rice is thrown and the wedding bells chime and she’s condemned to be Bowser’s wife forever.

(Source: Thesun.co,uk)

Kingdoms

Super Mario games always have a number of kingdoms, all of which vary in characters, challenges, theme and design. After Nintendo’s sneak peak of the upcoming game at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June, a few kingdoms have been glimpsed and so far we like. Mario Galaxy and Mario 3D focus on smaller and restricted levels, whereas Odyssey is bouncing back with the familiar and much loved style of Super Mario 64 and SuperMario Sunshine.

The most notable and talked about so far has definitely been ‘New Donk’, a spin off of New York. Characterised with civillians, people in work attire, yellow taxis, sky scrapers and commercialised space; some of which is true to exact locations. This was a never seen before design, as this kingdom is contructed in a more life-like fashion, the passers-by looking more realistic, almost Sims like!

The height difference is definitely the first thing that caught our eye, Mario is almost knee/thigh height of the normal New Donkers. The style of graphic design completely differs, the contrast is insane between facial features and bodily design. Interaction with New Donkers seem to be restircted to a minimum. Whilst Mario jumps and bounces about, passers-by continue as though it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Shigeru Miyamoto revealed, “I was worried about how players would react to being in a world where Mario is this tall and normal people are a little bit taller…Or the fact that people don’t get mad at Mario when he’s jumping up and down all over the place. But with all that said, I think I realized that the character Pauline has already existed, and the idea of this game taking place in the city worked out really well. And so we ran with it.” (Interview at IGN.)

Whilst there’s a huge contrast, Shigeru seems to have nothing to worry about since New Donk City (and the game overall) seems to be well received by press and gamers. Whilst the stark contrast was initially a shock, it is also pretty mesmerising. Rumours floating around about past Super Mario games being recreated have been put to rest, Miyamoto aims to take Mario in a forward direction as it seems to be a natural path; the evolution of Mario!

There’s a pop of vibrancy in the Mexican desert town also shown at E3. The kingdom is supposedly called ‘Day of the Dead’ based on the mexican festival Día De Los Muertos. Dating back to the 16th century as an Aztec festival, it looks like Nintendo is giving us an exotic flare and taste of hispanic culture. With skulls and characters resembling the distinguished skull and face paint artwork.

‘The Wooded Kingdom’ is a fairly dark and unorthodox place; occupied by robots that spin on the spot with one hand in the air, invisible trees and flower paths, redness and decay. So it sounds pretty strange but we’ll try and explain- the robots are spinning because Bowser stole their flowers; yes we know; it still makes no sense! The spooky and decaying region of the kingdom is Bowser’s lair, that part makes sense. The only other thing we know definiteively is that the robots that infest the woodland forest are friendly, E3 revealed Mario to dance with them at one point in the game.

We haven’t gotten a confirmed name yet so we’ll call this next place ‘The Colourful Cooking Beach Kingdom’! It sounds like a fun pop of colour. We’ve got fluorescent pebbles and rocks, creatures with chef hats and fork legs, bowls for Mario to jump in and on. So a beach with a cooking theme.

Alongside this, there have been rumours of a dinosaur kingdom, underwater world and an ancient Egyptian kingdom. We’re also excited to see a major throwback, a newly designed 3D kingdom with an old school, 2D arcade version of Mario running wild; pixelated and true to his original form!

So there’ll be several large kingdoms, all of which are interconnected; Mario fans will be happy as it’s a familiar feel and layout to Sunshine and 64. The various kingdoms are far apart though and require a fair amount of travel, with a newly designed airship. Mario’s airship has red and white stripes, an ‘M’ flag and three large propellers.

Alongside these intricately designed kingdoms, we’ve got some brand new features and slight changes. The purple coins used to purchase lives and outfits differ in each kingdom, each kingdom will have their own currency. Whilst we’re on the topic of coins and currency, you’ll lose 10 coins if Mario gets himself in a pickle; no more game overs! This new feature has been introduced to stop demotivation for those who struggle a little. Alongside this, if you stuck on a level or in a certain kingdom, there’s way more open access areas encouraging you to explore open worlds. In 64 you had to collect stars, in Sunshine– suns (seems fitting) and now you’ve got to collect moons across the kingdoms to unlock more mysterious worlds. Overall the game is more so advanced than previous Mario games and has been stated to require a higher level of skill required for Sunshine and 64.

Super Mario

Mario’s had a bit of a wardrobe change and quite an expansion. Each kingdom comes with a different outfit, some of which you must wear the costume to complete the level. For now we know there’s a: new hat, mariachi band costume, american footballer uniform, golf outfit, white wedding tuxedo, explorer suit, builder’s costume, swimming suit, safari outfit and an all black suit. You can purchase all these with your purple coins. It hasn’t been confirmed but there’s a whisper in the wind that each costume is suited to each level/ kingdom may be equipped with different skills and powers given the nature of the adventure.

The most innovative and anticipated of Mario’s new skills; hat posession! You can now throw the beloved red cap at a character and possess their body. In addition to this, the hat can be used as a boomerang-like weapon to hit enemies and be thrown at coins to collect them. There are also whipsers of hitching rides on different creatures, it’s confirmed that you can ride a lion in the Ancient Egyptian kingdom.

Nintendo have also reinstated some of Mario’s old tricks seen in earlier games such as; jumping on object like cars and using them like springboards, swinging on lamp posts and signs, jumping and running across rooftops, hanging off ledges and rooftops and shuffling across.

Multiplayer Mode

Asides from the infamous cap gaining new powers, it also enables multiplayer mode. This mode is far easier than the lead role of Mario and since Cappy is invincible, this is a great position for younger gamers that may struggle with more challenging adventures. Taking on Cappy lets you fly around protecting Mario, as the cap is not a boomerang-like weapon; or work as a stepping stool/springboard for Mario.

Release Date, Price & Console

A release date has been confirmed, October 27th, so save the date! Birthday, Christmas or get saving that pocket money. Switch games tend to be higher priced than other console games, so retail price sits at £59.99/ $59.99. Since the agonising anticipation and frenzy of excitement has reached new highs, the game is already available to pre-order, so if you don’t feel like queueing up for 4 hours, we suggest you look into that (many retailers, online and stores are doing it such as Amazon and Game). Unfortunately, given the release of the Nintendo Switch and its huge success, the game appears to be exclusive to the console. There were rumours that this would only be for a short while, until the idolisation of the console finally settled but numerous sources have confirmed that it will not be made for any other gaming console. There are whispers that it may eventually reach other Nintendo devices, but definitely not the Xbox or PS4.

So there you have it, everything you could possibly need and want to know about the new Super Mario Odyssey! Not long until the new adventure begins. Keep up to date with Mario news, upcoming releases, top picks and other tech news by visiting our blog.

*All images from Nintendo.co.uk*

Whilst major tech brands race against one another to make the most innovative advancements, most seem to neglect that the general zeitgeist of the time; everything old is making a comeback! From record players to typewriters and general fashion, Nintendo have jumped on the bandwagon and released the Nintendo Switch. Constantly at the forefront of gaming, they introduced the first in home gaming console (NES) in 1985 and the first handheld, portable gaming console (GameBoy) way back in 1989. We can’t not mention their huge success with the legendary and unrivalled Super Mario video game franchise, all of which gives the new console high expectations to meet.

(Source: Nintendo.com)

What is it?

So Nintendo aimed to combine their two most standout creations, the Gameboy and the NES; both of which were huge successes and made gaming history (and arguably kickstarted it). So a device that you can play by hand on the go and play in your house, hooked up to a proper TV and everything. At first it sounded a little over-ambitious but we think Nintendo kind of nailed it!

The Nintendo GameBoy, released in 1989. The first portable gaming console. 👾

The Nintendo Entertainment System, released in 1985. The first home-gaming console.

Console Design

The portable element of the console is the screen which resembles the standard mini tablet seen across numerous brands. The 6.2” tablet provides ideal viewing on the go as the screen is a decent size for viewing, yet small enough to be hand held. The body is glass and metal and gives the console a sleek appearance that many tablets on the market possess. The 720p resolution perfectly correlates to the screen’s size so colours are bold and images sharp. There’s a twist and pop of colour with the detachable controllers. The two Joy-Con controllers slot in on either side of the tablet and are available in a range of colours. The console provides three modes of play; TV, tabletop and handheld. So how does this portable Nintendo console hook up to the TV if it has it’s own screen? Well, we’re getting to that bit now. So the console comes with a docking system and the necessary wires needed. You simply slot the tablet into the dock and start playing on your TV. Simple! There was a slight issue with the dock scratching the tablet, but a chap screen protector quickly eliminates that one flaw.

(Source: Ninendo.co.uk)

Little elements of Nintendo’s new console earn it an immaculate reputation. The overall layout is slick, yet the detachable controllers add a pop of colour and stick to the beloved retro design that Nintendo are ever so loved for. When docking the tablet, the dock makes a sound but the actual dock makes a mechanical sound, further ensuring that you definitely know when your Nintendo Switch is connected to the TV and ready as a home gaming console. Docking is smooth and easy, there is no struggle; it smoothly slots in.

(Source: Nintendo.co.uk)

Controllers

The Joy-Con controllers attach to either side of the tablet when playing on the go. Now when playing in tabletop mode, Nintendo have kindly thrown in an amazingly designed grip with the purchase. Don’t get us wrong the Joy-Cons are great but if you’re in the mood for some serious gaming (maybe a few hours) the grip is an ideal choice. It gives you a more comfortable grip and has a traditional and old school gaming feel to it; you’re kind of already familiar with how to hold it and navigate due to it’s design purposefully resembling the standard controller used with Xbox and Play Station.

(Source: Ninetendo.co.uk)

The Joy-Cons are also great as they allow you to multiplay on the go, grab one each and play away; that flight to New York will fly by with all the fun you can have on this console. They’ve got wrist straps too, so in the midst of an intense game your controller won’t drop or be thrown across the room. Plus they’re super light, so play away without straining your wrists or hurting your arms. The Joy-Cons have received nothing but praise, but unfortunately we’ve found a flaw; they’re simply too good. It sounds strange, but let us explain. The controllers are designed so well that sensitivity to movement and accuracy are impeccable and unfortunately, not many games utilise them to their fullest potential; so a lot of Nintendo’s great craftmanship went to waste. If you’d like to see the full capability of the controller, so far the only game we’ve come across that does show how effective the controller is, is 1-2-Switch. The Joy-Con has a battery life of 20 hours each, and take 3.5 hours to charge fully if completely dead.

(Source: Ninendo.co.uk)

Next up, the Pro controller! Hard core gamers will proabably already have this, if not it’s worth the investment despite being a little pricey. Nnintendo ensured the console was compatible with this controller to ensure that there’s some form of a controller suited to any and every game and gamer. This has a lengthier battery life of 40 hours. It has a heavier and more comfortable feel, as it’s tailored to the hand to be easy to hold. Whilst we’re on the topic of battery life, the tablet has a battery life of 3-6 hours, depening on the brightness, sound and game.

So the Switch has a USB-C port, so you can charge on the go. The only issue is, is there a portable charger powerful enough? So far, we haven’t found anything, most portable chargers are catered to mobile phones. However, the Anker PowerCore+ 20100 is the only one reported to have worked; so maybe give that a go if needed.

Games

So far there isn’t a great deal of games available, this is understandable given the console was only released in March. However, Nintendo ensured that the old school classics were the first to be available considering the Switch has a very retro feel to it. However, games are relatively expensive, costing more than PlayStation or Xbox games. Games can cost between £40- £60.

So there you have it! Everything you need to know about the new Nintendo Switch. If you were undecided on whether to buy or not, we hope we’ve helped you come to a decision. For more useful tech news, reviews and guides, check out our blog.

Did you know today is Mario day because the date, Mar10 spells his name?! If you’re a 90’s or 80’s baby you can appreciate the global icon that is Mario and can certainly understand why there is a whole day dedicated to the gaming legend. You don’t need to be a gamer to recognise him but most of us will remember growing up playing the famous game and navigating through all levels whilst meeting his equally famous friends like Bowser, Peach or his brother Luigi.

Whether you grew up playing the original Super Mario Bros. in 1985, or the more recent Super Mario 64 it’s sure to give you some sort of nostalgia. To mark the occasion of Mario Day we’ll be taking a look at the evolution of our favourite plumber and video game legend!

1981 Donkey Kong (The Arcade Game)

Mario has been the best-selling game for nearly 30 years, however he actually started off as ‘jump man’ in the Donkey Kong arcade game. In the final level he is reunited with Peach (who was initially called ‘Lady’ and ‘Pauline’) Mario’s famous lover. His name actually came a little later and he was named after a Nintendo worker who was Italian hence Mario’s now, Italian accent!

1988- Super Mario Bros 2

Mario got an upgrade as well as the addition of other characters and friends for him in 1988, with toadstool (Peach’s name in this version), Toad and Luigi joining him to defeat the villain Wart and save the Subcon species. This version of the game was actually based on a Japanese game called ‘Doki Doki Panic’ and was just modified, although the game had many similarities with the first Super Mario Bros, this version saw Mario take on a different form with a changed look which is why it’s a major moment in the evolution of Mario.

1992 Super Mario kart

Another defining moment for Mario was in 1992 where he took on yet another form and players now had to navigate around a race circuit. The evolution of Mario also meant leaps and advancements in gameplay with the added choice of playing with new characters for players, based on the strengths and weaknesses of each character.

The major change from previous versions proved very popular with some of us still preferring the original Super Mario Kart even now.

1996 Super Mario 64

The next important jump in the evolution of Mario was seen in 1996 where he finally became a 3D character and moved away from his underwhelming 2D shape. He looked better and game play was much better too with a wide range of added capabilities for the Italian hero, such as swimming and crawling!

In this version the mission was to rescue princess peach from the clutches of Bowser who captures her in her home, it is considered a real gem even to this day largely due to the much awaited change from 2D to 3D.

2001 Mario Kart Super Circuit

The first opportunity for Mario to be played on a handheld device, Mario Kart Super Circuit was made for the Gameboy Advance, although he didn’t look better graphically, it was a significant moment for Mario and became the 4th bestselling game for the Gameboy. The much loved game was even re-released in 2011 for the Nintendo 3DS because of this popularity.

2012 Super Mario Odyssey for Nintendo switch

Finally, the most recent chapter in the evolution of Mario’s so far, is in his latest form for Super Mario Odyssey designed for the newly released Nintendo Switch. The graphics of Mario in the game and the game itself are ground-breaking, ‘Odyssey’, as the name suggests, sees Mario venturing out and exploring worlds outside of the mushroom kingdom which is an exciting add on for any Mario fan.

The change that our favourite video game protagonist has gone through over the years is amazing and we are yet to see just how much Mario and the legacy of the game evolves in another 30 years or so.

We hope you enjoyed our trip down ‘Mario memory lane’ and that we made you remember the good old days of your childhood! Let us know in the comments below and be sure to take some time out today to play some Mario games!

After the release of Pokémon Go in July, it became an overnight global phenomenon, Nintendo’s market value sky-rocketed and re-established the fame of Pokémon! Pokémon Go lovers, you’ve probably already heard the disappointing news. Pokémon Go Plus has been delayed. However, the wait is almost over as the release is due this month! Nintendo later revealed after announcing the delay that they needed to perfect the new app before release.

Polygon lent a helping hand to Nintendo, stating “In order for us to offer new experiences to play Pokémon Go with Pokémon Go Plus with a quality level high enough to satisfy as many people as possible, we decided that it is necessary to take enough time for the completion. We ask for your understanding”.

So while there was a little disappointment, we should now be in for a treat.

What is Pokémon Go Plus?

This neat little device is not only a cool accessory but a helpful alert. When you’re close by to a Pokémon or PokéStop the device will flash and mildly vibrate. Upon purchase you’ll receive a strap, so you can either wear it around your wrist, clip it on to your clothes or keep it in your pocket. It also comes with a CR2032 lithium coin cell battery which powers the device. It is Bluetooth enabled, so connect it to your phone and it’ll track your location and Pokémon’s nearby to you. The app and device is allegedly priced at £34.99.

(Source: Pocket-lint.com)

It seems like Pokémon fanatics are waiting in unbearable anticipation. Not only is it an exciting new release but a handy one too. Walking around with your phone out can be a bit of a nuisance, reducing your battery and you might be a hassle to others; slowing down a crowd, bumping into people…It can also be a little dangerous. It was reported after the release of Pokémon Go and the initial excitement, that there was a significant increase in car and pedestrian collisions in the streets of New York. Walking around with your phone out can be a little dangerous at times too, putting you at risk of having your phone stolen.

Unfortunately, for Android users this app isn’t compatible. It is compatible with Apple iPhones, from the 5 onwards and you must have iOS 8 and 9. Whilst the iPhone compatible version is due to be released this month, Nintendo a while back claimed that from July onwards work on a Pokémon Go Plus app compatible with Androids would begin. So Android users may have to wait a little longer, but the app should be available to you eventually.

Pokémon Go Plus will be available on the Apple app store and you’ll be able to purchase the device from the Nintendo official merchandise store, as well as other online retailers such as eBay and Amazon. The device will also definitely be available on the high street, in stores such as Game, GameStop, Argos and HMV.

The original release was due in July and now already in September, no pre-order date has been released yet, so the wait continues. Hopefully it’ll be released soon!

Keep checking our blog for further Pokémon Go Plus updates, as well as helpful reviews, top picks and other tech related news.

Hard-core gaming enthusiasts, you’re in for a treat this bank holiday weekend. From Friday 26th – Monday 29th of August, Insomnia Gaming Festival is on! If you don’t know what it is, we’re going to tell you all you need to know and you’ll still have time to grab some tickets!

It’s the UK’s biggest gaming event and Insomnia are really spoiling you with a bunch of special gaming guests, from YouTube gaming gurus to content creators. Hear what they have to say on interactive stage shows and panels, about gaming, creating and maybe steal a few of their winning tactics and gaming manoeuvres. This is a great opportunity for gamers and aspiring game creators to learn a thing or two from the best in the industry.

Thriving with hundreds of things to see and visit, the exhibitions are a must see! Play new and upcoming games that haven’t been released yet, browse through exclusive merchandise in the retail zone with exclusive festival and collectors’ items and compete against fellow gamers for free! Partners, gamers and exhibitors will not only be on hosted panels on the main stage but in the exhibition hall too, so let’s see if you’re good enough to take on world acclaimed gamers and outdo the creators! With exhibitors, publishers and retailers such as Custom Controllers, GAME, XBOX ONE, EA Games and GT Omega Racing, gaming fanatics are in for an amazing experience.

(Source: Insomnia Gaming Festival)

Dare to go up against your fellow gamers? Think you can do it? Find out by entering a tournament and see if you can win cash prizes of up to £30,000!

If you dare to enter, you have the choice of these games in the official tournaments:

Hearth Stone- Heroes of Warcraft

League of Legends

Counter Strike

Team Fortress 2

Overwatch

Dota 2

Rocket League

Call of Duty

Fifa 16

Smash Bros

The fun doesn’t stop when the sun goes down. After a day of gaming, exploration and fun, pop into the 24 hours LAN areas for more activities like the World Famous Pub Quiz.

Minecraft enthusiast? You’ll feel right at home in the Minecraft Zone! Yes, you heard right, an entire zone for dedicated gamers who love the Minecraft!

We’re sure some ComicCon goers are bound to be going to Insomnia, and if you’re not, it’s worth checking out. It wouldn’t be a festival without some form of dress up right? Music festivals have people in glitter and ripped denim, ComicCon has you decked out in your favourite superhero costume, and Insomnia Fest is no different. Dress up as your favourite gaming character! It’s a great way to meet fellow gamers that enjoy the same games you do and it’s a bunch of fun.

Be thrown back to the past with Retro Zone. Partners of the festival Retro GT have provided tonnes of old school gaming for you to try out. Take a walk through gaming history, try them out and purchase them. It’s a one of a kind experience and chance as most of these items are difficult (next to impossible) to come by.

Managed by GameQuest, the Tabletop Zone is an area to purchase and try out cards, boards and games with your fellow gamers on a set-up table. With loads of space and demos to try out, brush up on your gaming skills and have some fun with your friends.

As we all know, Facebook has been involved with Candy Crush, Farmville and many other games for years. They have now announced an “all-new gaming platform” partnered with Unity, just as the Oculus Rift has gone on sale.

Unity is a well-known games engine which is increasingly being used for building Virtual Reality and numerous 3D applications. Unity is known for powering PC, mobile, web and console games. Facebook has not specifically mentioned the Oculus Rift, however experts from the gaming industry hold the view that the social network is aiming to construct a superior gaming ecosystem which could also incorporate virtual reality.

The teaming of Facebook and Unity will undoubtedly make it easier for game creators who are using the Unity platform, to broadcast them on Facebook as well as a dedicated desktop application. Facebook will be at an advantage with this move into the gaming world, as it will allow the social network to increase their following, and create a specific market to target gamers –from advanced PC gamers to casual mobile gamers.

Developed games will likely be distributed through a new desktop app by Facebook which is currently running beta tests –namely ‘Facebook Arcade’. The app allows users to play games on Facebook without requiring them to access www.facebook.com; the direct style of this platform is what is expected to attract various gamers.

The founder and chief executive at Rewind (a creative agency and digital production studio, which specialises in VR), Sol Rogers, has considered the comparison of the Facebook gaming platform and its immersion into VR with the likelihood of rivalling Oculus. He stated that this venture will allow Facebook to renew their diminishing reputation as a gaming platform –after the ‘spamming’ style of Facebook-backed games such as Farmville, and it will be a win-win situation as gamers will be attracted to the extensive user base that Facebook has to offer –Rogers labelled the social network a “gold rush” for gamers.

He also stated, on the Facebook-Unity partnership:

“The games you can create with Unity are considerably more complex, look better and have more interactivity than traditional Facebook games.

The transition from casual gamers to more serious gamers, with Unity being based normally around longer games, will be an interesting collision.”

It will be interesting to see the progression of Facebook as the company ventures deeper into the gaming world, and on a much more serious note as it has previously –with games such as Candy Crush. Nevertheless, Facebook has stated that more than 50 million people have been playing Facebook-exclusive games every week already.

Check back for more information on this fascinating partnership.

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Since the launch of Windows 8, which is mostly based on mobile and touchscreen features, many have hinted that the era of the traditional desktop experience is over. Gabe Newell, the owner of Valve which is a world renowned PC game developer, stated that Windows 8 is a “catastrophe” for PC game developers. Laptop and tablet sales have been rising rapidly, in comparison to desktop computer sales which have been gradually decreasing in past years. This is bad news for the long-established PC gaming community. However, there are many reasons which show that the traditional desktop gaming experience will not be replaced by mobile and touchscreen gaming:

Highly popular and premium titles continue to be launched in the PC Gaming department. The PC gaming market features unique games which are exclusive to it, such as World of Warcraft –one of the most popular video games ever, and only available for the PC.

NVidia and AMD, two of the leading graphics card chip manufacturers, continue to display assurance in the PC gaming market. Both manufacturers are continuing to release new generations of graphic cards, in a range of different budgets, as they have been doing for many years. Gamers are spoilt for choice in the desktop gaming department, with more choices being introduced regularly.

PC gamers can experience sharper textures, higher resolution graphics and a possible surplus of user-made add-ons and customisations, depending on the games they play. PC gaming has formed its own unique niche over the years, which cannot be replaced by console gaming, as both platforms provide completely different user experiences.

An elitist community does exist in the PC gaming, as expert gamers strive to have the best graphics, sound quality, performance, upgradability and customizability –which may not be available in modern console gaming.

Consoles are preferred by casual gamers who would rather avoid PC gaming issues such as updating drivers and harder, system requirement checks and troubleshooting. However, expert gamers are not deterred by these issues, and continue to favour traditional PC gaming.

Although the interest in console gaming has risen in recent years, as gamers are driven by curiosity in what consoles have to offer. Nevertheless, it is evident that PC gaming has made a comeback. Chris Thursten, the editor of PC Gamer Pro magazine, set up the UK’s first ever PC-specific major gaming convention on 5th-6th March. He informed BBC Newsbeat that “PC gaming really came back into popularity a couple of years ago. Simply, I think, because it’s a much cheaper way of playing gamed once you have the technology to do it“. Apart from the advantage that PC gaming costs less than gaming consoles, Thursten also indicates that PC-specific games have been the catalyst for the rise of free games, which lead to the rise of e-sports games, such as League of Legends or DOTA. Free games such as League of Legends, which is played by 27 million people worldwide daily, are a major contributor to the ongoing popularity of PC gaming.

There are a huge range of 15” gaming laptops currently on the market. Lenovo is trusted to be a leading competitor in the gaming world judging by the well-loved Y510 and Y510p which the company previously delivered. The Lenovo Y50-70 has a stunning sleek appearance and is surprisingly lightweight for a gaming laptop. It is also incredible value for money, only £829.99 at Laptop Outlet.

How Lenovo describes it:

“Gamers rejoice! The new Lenovo Y50 is here. This 15.6″ model reigns as first in its class: an affordable, yet highly mobile laptop that offers the cutting-edge power and features to keep pace with today’s latest games and multimedia”.

The Lenovo Y50-70 is visually stunning, with brushed aluminium, and a sleeker and slimmer appearance than previous versions. It is also lighter, perfect for gaming portability and comfortability. The keyboard and trackpad are also great for daily use. However, this visual update compromises the laptops expandability, so users are unable to insert an optical drive or an extra cooling fan as they could in previous versions. The latter is not a great disadvantage as the metal bottom of the laptop will provide some additional cooling alongside its exhaust fan.

Speakers

The JBL speakers used in the Lenovo Y50-70 is one of its most impressive features; they deliver incredible high-quality sound, providing the best gaming experience.

Removal of Ultrabay

The removal of the Ultrabay in the Lenovo Y50-70 is a key selling point. The previous Lenovo Y510 had a single Nvidia GTX 750m and was able to run two GPUs in SLI, however the Lenovo Y50-70 is unable to do this and the removal of the Ultrabay does result in inconsistent game performance. However, it is brilliant with multitasking other applications, able to run six intensive applications simultaneously –including Google Music and an intensive image editor.

As of today, Microsoft is also in the running for laptop devices. Just recently, the company announced the launch of its first ever laptop, a new gadget in its line of products. The Surface Book – the ultimate laptop – is one of their latest launches expected to complement their tab, the Surface Pro 4.

The laptop being slightly bigger than the tablet, the Surface Book features a 13.5 inch wide screen. The device is made of metal. The display is a PixelSense touchscreen that has the capacity to pack within 6 million pixels. Featuring a backlit keyboard, the Surface book is an ultimate thing of beauty that is expected to be faster and far better in performance than the MacBook Pro. Moreover, the best the Surface Book by Microsoft can offer is the long lasting battery life that goes all the way to 12 hours.

The laptop is quite light in weight. Thus when you use it in a tablet mode, you can easily perform all your tasks because it’s not heavy to carry around in comparison to the actual tablet by the company. With a wider screen and light in weight feature, the laptop is the perfect device to buy for all those who want both a laptop and a tablet.

Plus-Points:

The first thing you have got to recognize in regards to the Microsoft laptop is that it’s gentle. Microsoft put quite a few efforts into making both the keyboard and display components skinny and durable, and for the most part, they’ve probably succeeded. The first full computing device has arrived in the surface household. The Surface Book by Microsoft is a powerful device with a full sized, backlit keyboard for speedy and natural typing. It is quite easy for users to convert the laptop into a tablet. Flip the monitor around and reattach it to use laptop like an A4 size creative canvas. The laptop is also equipped with a Stylus pen that allows you to use it in its full capacity.

Microsoft claims that the Surface Book laptop is quite formidable. The company stated that the laptop features an Nvidia graphics processor that allows users to run some of the most professional known applications like Adobe Photoshop and AutoCAD. This installation is quite impressive by the company in comparison to a number of previously launched high-end Windows operating laptops that included graphic cards which were quite discrete. The Nvidia GPU is a massive achievement in this regard.

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